COVER STORY
marked his 17th title on the PGA Tour since
2008, leaving him one shy of Woods’ 18-victory
mark during the same period. An impressive
feat no doubt that upon further investigation
helps explain why Tigermania will be in full
swing at Torrey Pines this week.
Johnson required 222 starts to secure his
17 titles, whereas Woods’ 18 came from 98
tournament appearances during a time where
he required four operations on his back alone.
No one is expecting the player who
conquered Torrey Pines four years in a row
from 2005 to suddenly reappear this week. But
the Woods camp’s confident and excited words
suggest that this latest return will be different
from last year’s aborted attempt.
“I can’t express in words how great it felt to
be back in the arena and how much I missed
it,” Woods said in a statement last December.
“I appreciate competitive golf now more than I
ever have.”
The 42-year-old’s excitement about the state
of his game, however, was slightly tempered
by the ongoing unknown of just how much
competitive golf he will be able to play. ►
VIDEO: TIGER'S 2018
SWING v 2008 SWING